True North

True North features an all-Canadian programme of six works for violin and piano spanning 100 years; from a three-movement sonata by Healey Willan written in 1916 to two newly commissioned works by Ontario composers Brian Harman and Adam Scime completed in 2016. Rounding out the disc are works by Alice Ho, Maria Molinari, and Heather Schmidt. Each piece on the disc features a unique and distinctive voice, with styles ranging from neo-Romantic to dancelike rhythms to an inclusion of field recordings from the shores of Lake Ontario.

This debut recording by Véronique Mathieu and Stephanie Chua showcases the breadth and depth of Canada’s musical history and creativity.

Canadian violinist Véronique Mathieu and pianist Stephanie Chua are dynamic and compelling artists who champion contemporary music of emerging composers alongside those that are internationally established, as well as relish in re-introducing the works for forgotten composers of the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods to a new audience. It is important to Véronique and Stephanie that their collaborations and performances spark new artistic and social developments. They hope to contribute to the evolution of classical music as well as forge new connections between composers and audiences.

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True North présente un programme de musique canadienne comprenant six oeuvres pour violon et piano qui représentent cent ans de musique au Canada : une sonate de Healey Willan écrite en 1916, deux commandes de compositeurs ontariens – Brian Harman et Adam Scime ainsi que des pièces de Alice Ho, Maria Molinari et Heather Schmidt. Chacune de ces oeuvres représente un style particulier, du néoromantique aux rythmes de danse en incluant un enregistrement sonore capturé au lac Ontario. Ce disque représente le premier enregistrement commercial de Véronique Mathieu et Stephanie Chua et démontre la qualité et diversité de la musique canadienne.

Les artistes canadiennes Véronique Mathieu et Stephanie Chua sont dévouées à la diffusion du répertoire contemporain et sont toujours à la recherche de nouvelles collaborations avec des compositeurs. Elles espèrent contribuer à l’évolution de la musique classique tout en réussissant à créer de nouveaux liens entre le public et les compositeurs.

Healey Willan
Sonata No. 1 in E minor for violin and piano, HWC 100 (1916, rev. 1955)
1 I. Lento quasi recit – Allegro moderato e marcato 7:30
2 II. Adagio 7:10
3 III. Allegro molto 5:04

Adam Scime
Gradual Erasures for violin and piano (2016)
4 I. Traces 5 :24
5 II. Palimpsest 5 :09

Brian Harman
Cherry Beach for violin, piano, and field recordings (2016)
6 I 5:30
7 II 4:15

8 Maria Molinari
Danza from Tre Pezzi per Violino e Pianoforte (1997) 2:11

9 Heather Schmidt
Adagio for violin and piano (1996) 7:51

10 Alice Ping Yee Ho
Éxtasis for violin and piano (2012) 5:58